Tag Archives: Risk

Europe’s Horizon 2020 reserach program funding and implications

A New York Times article (Dec 2, 2011) describes the European research fund, Horizon 2020, set to provide $108 billion in funding from 2014 to 2020. But this funding, aimd at innovations in food, health, transport, clean energy etc, requires … Continue reading

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The Impact of a Euro collapse on global supply chains

A Wall Street Journal article (Dec 3, 2011) ponders the currency impact of different Euro collapse scenarios.  It suggests that Greece dropping out will cause the euro to go from its current $ 1.34 to the dollar to parity with … Continue reading

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The Northern Distribution Network to Afghanistan

An article in the CNN.com site (http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/29/world/asia/afghanistan-military-railroad/index.html?hpt=hp_c1) describes a route for supplies of toiler paper, bottled water and socks to Afghanistan from the North.  One of these routes involves shipping to Riga in Latvia, moving on trains across Russia, crossing … Continue reading

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Thai floods, hard drive price increases and Dell Impact

An article in the New York Times (Nov 16, 2011) describes hard drive prices rising from $10 to $25 due the Thai floods, and their impact on Toshiba and Western Digital plants in Thailand. Earlier reports suggested that around 25% … Continue reading

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Crashing rare earth prices and impact

An article in the New York Times (Nov 15,2011) describes the 67% drop in prices for several rare earths including neodymium, cerium etc.  The rapid price increase in recent years was caused by China, which produces 97% of the world’s … Continue reading

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US Natural gas production and the return of manufacturing ?

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (Nov 7, 2011) describes the rise of shale gas extraction, suing fracking, and the US becoming the world’s largest natural gas producer. With natural gas becoming a low priced energy alternative to coal, with lower greenhouse gas emissions … Continue reading

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Federal response to vital Medicine shortages in US hospitals

A New York Times article (Oct 31, 2011) describes Federal attempts to ease shoratges of sterile injectables that constutue 74 % of drug shortages.  The government blames market concentration – 90 % of the medicines are bought by five hospital … Continue reading

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Now Thai floods and Japanese auto supply chain impact

A Wall Street Journal article (Oct 29, 2011) describes the impact of flooding in Thailand, which has resulted in two Sony plants deluged, Toyota suppliers impacted, a Honda plant impacted for six months etc. Given the disruption caused by the … Continue reading

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Global Trade Financing Squeeze and Supply Chain Impact

An article in the Wall Street Jounral (Oct 29, 2011) describes the increase in the margins fior trade finance by a factor of thirty since 2008.  Trade finance provides letters of credit, export loans etc that finance global trade given … Continue reading

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Apple’s use of supply chain as a strategic weapon

A New York Times article (24 Oct 2011) describes Apple’s low price strategy – iPhone 4GS priced at $199, iPads at $499 etc, with competitors barely managing to match prices for similar or lower specification products. The article suggests that … Continue reading

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